BODY BUILDING

Bodybuilding nutrition consists of a good supply of protein, for the reason that when we exercise, with the aim to build muscle we use up a lot of calories. As many know calories equal energy, without energy we can’t perform to our best. Why though does everyone need so much protein? Because when we workout and stress our muscles, they begin to breakdown. We know weird, we are trying to build muscle but we are actually damaging them. Therefore PROTEIN helps to rebuild our muscles better than any other. This is when you will see the most growth, when your muscles recuperate. Experts throughout the body building field agree that the optimal number of protein a bodybuilder of at least 200 pounds needs is 300g of protein. This basically works out to 1.5grams of protein for every pound you weigh. So a 175 pound person would require 262.5 grams of protein. Obviously consuming this many grams of protein can be difficult, this is where supplements come in and help. Protein shakes are best consumed after a workout. They are also helpful throughout the day when we don’t have the time to consume a solid meal.

Bodybuilding nutrition also requires a good amount of carbohydrates. It needs to be made clear that all this information is a general guideline and does need to be tweaked for different desired results. We are mainly referring to bulking up or cutting up a show. A good rule of thumb is to consume most of your daily carbohydrates early in the morning preferably before lunch. This isn’t always practical as we have other responsibilities such as work. We may only get to work out after work. The reason we raise this point is before, during and after a workout is when most carbohydrates should be consumed. Complex carbohydrates are best but during and after a workout simple carbohydrates are preferred. Also carbohydrates should never be consumed before bed.

Speaking of bodybuilding nutrition we can’t forget the all important fat. To achieve a really lean body mass we have found that no more than 10% of all calories should be fat calories and not the fat from chocolate bars. Rather unsalted nuts which are low in saturated fat. A great food that is high in protein and filled with healthy fat is tuna in olive oil.

There are several books written around bodybuilding nutrition, that are obviously more in depth but we have made a concise article to save you the time of reading them.